Blacksburg Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Blacksburg, VA: $23.14/hr median hourly wage, $48,120 median annual salary, cost of living index 103.6, and $12.00/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Virginia taxes.
Blacksburg Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Blacksburg, VA is $23.14/hr,and the median annual wage is $48,120. Entry-level pay estimates around $14.35/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $32.86/hr, and the local minimum wage is $12.00/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA metropolitan statistical area (74,070 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Blacksburg shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$48,120
$23.14/hr
Cost of Living
103.6
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$12.00
per hour
Unemployment
3.2%
rate
Blacksburg, VA Overview
Population
44,853
Median Salary
$48,120
Average Salary
$61,090
Avg Commute
18 min
Median Home Price
$338,000
Median Rent
$1,374/mo
Job Growth
+0.6%
Sales Tax
5.3%
Blacksburg is located in Virginia with a population of 44,853. The median annual wage across all occupations is $48,120 ($23.14/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA metro), which is $2,860 below the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 18 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +0.6%.
Blacksburg Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Blacksburg, VA built around the $48,120 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $29,834 | $14.35/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $48,120 | $23.14/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $68,330 | $32.86/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $85,654 | $41.19/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Blacksburg Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Blacksburg, VA, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$38,838
$3,236.51/month · $1,493.77/biweekly · Effective Rate: 19.3%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,493.77 take-home per paycheck after estimated Virginia and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$48,120
Federal Tax
-$3,594
State Tax
-$2,006
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,681
Net Pay
$38,838
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $4,010.00 | $48,120.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$299.53 | -$3,594.40 |
| Virginia State Tax (4.17% eff.) | -$167.19 | -$2,006.28 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$248.62 | -$2,983.44 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$58.15 | -$697.74 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,236.51 | $38,838.14 |
Salary Comparison: Blacksburg vs Other Cities
See how Blacksburg's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg, VA | $48,120 | 103.6 | $46,448 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $48,100 | 88 | $54,659 |
| Golden Gate, FL | $48,076 | 100.5 | $47,837 |
| York, PA | $48,170 | 88 | $54,739 |
| Elkhart, IN | $48,070 | 89.6 | $53,650 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Blacksburg
Blacksburg's cost of living index is 103.6 (national average = 100). Living in Blacksburg is 3.5999999999999943% more expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$338,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,374
Annual Rent Cost
$16,488
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $38,838 annual take-home pay in Blacksburg has the purchasing power of approximately $37,489 in an average-cost US area. You would need to earn $49,852 in Blacksburg to match a $48,120 salary in an average-cost city.
Top Industries in Blacksburg
Blacksburg's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $48,120.
Salary Tips for Blacksburg Workers
- Maximize pre-tax deductions. With a top 5.75% state income tax rate, maximizing 401(k) contributions (up to $24,500 in 2026) and HSA contributions can significantly reduce both your federal and state tax burden.
- Research top industries. Blacksburg's top industries include Military, Technology, Government. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $48,120 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Blacksburg salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Blacksburg indexed at 103.6.
- Median salary: $48,120 annual, $23.14 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA MSA (74,070 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $61,090 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Blacksburg was $63,340.
- Tax burden reflects Virginia 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 5.75%) (no local income tax), sales tax (5.3%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Blacksburg: 3.2%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Military, Technology, Government, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 0.6% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Virginia.
- Housing context: median home price $338,000, median rent $1,374/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Blacksburg, VA:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Blacksburg unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Blacksburg QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Virginia, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Blacksburg's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Virginia labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Blacksburg, VA?
The median hourly wage in Blacksburg, VA is $23.14 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $48,120. Entry-level workers are estimated around $14.35/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $32.86/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Blacksburg, VA?
The median salary in Blacksburg, VA is $48,120 per year, or $23.14 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA metro area). The BLS mean salary is $61,090. This is $2,860 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Blacksburg, VA?
Blacksburg's cost of living index is 103.6 (national average = 100), meaning it is 3.5999999999999943% more expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $338,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,374.
What are the best industries in Blacksburg?
The top industries in Blacksburg, VA include Military, Technology, Government. The city has a job growth rate of 0.6% and an unemployment rate of 3.2%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $48,120.
How does Blacksburg's salary compare to other cities?
Blacksburg's median salary of $48,120 is 5.6% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 103.6), the real purchasing power is approximately $46,448.
What is the minimum wage in Blacksburg, VA?
The minimum wage in Blacksburg, VA is $12.00 per hour. This equals approximately $24,960 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This is $4.75 above the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.